Holidays and ADHD

This Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the United States. Most of us will spend the holiday with family members we don’t see on a regular basis.

For those of us with ADHD, all of that celebrating and family time can be especially difficult. Holidays can be extra stressful when you have ADHD.

If you’re the lucky ADD Mom who is cooking dinner this year, or hosting it, you’re most likely up to your ears about now with things to do and the stress that comes along with it.

It’s hard enough getting ready for the big day, but then you’ve got to orchestrate the entire meal so that everything is done and still hot at the same time. I don’t know about you, but for me, just finding enough dishes to put things in and feed everyone is a task in itself. And the clean up afterwards? I’m not even going there.

Even if you’re not making the better part of the meal or hosting the event, you still have family to deal with.

Since it is family, your social anxiety might not be a problem, but then again it might. I have one sister-in-law who can stress me out before she ever shows up.

What is more likely to happen is that the sheer number of people there will overwhelm you or there will be so many conversations going on at once that you’re sure to miss most of them. It’s almost a sure bet that at some time during dinner someone will ask you something that you will be completely unaware of and then there will be that awkward pause when you try to figure out what to say.

But you know what? There is just as good of a chance that you will spend the day with your extended family and just have a good time.

I think it’s all in the attitude.

You can focus inward on yourself and be hyper conscious of how ADHD affects your life, or you can choose to be grateful for all that’s good in your life – dysfunctional family, ADHD, and all.

If you’re celebrating, enjoy your Thanksgiving. And if you’re not, have a happy Thursday.